As the darker months set in and daylight hours shrink, the NHS is reminding everyone across the UK to take a daily dose of vitamin D from now until March. With limited sunlight during autumn and winter, our bodies struggle to produce enough of this vital nutrient, which plays an essential role in keeping bones, teeth and muscles strong.

Health experts advise adults and children over the age of one to take a 10-microgram (400 IU) vitamin D supplement each day. Babies should also receive between 8.5 and 10 micrograms daily, unless they consume more than 500ml of infant formula, which already contains added vitamin D. The NHS stresses that maintaining sufficient levels helps support not just physical health but also energy and overall wellbeing.

A lack of vitamin D can cause symptoms such as fatigue, muscle weakness and bone pain, and in more severe cases may lead to conditions like rickets in children or osteomalacia in adults. Because sunlight exposure is limited in the UK during winter, supplementation is considered a safe and effective way to prevent deficiency.

For those wanting to boost their intake naturally, vitamin D can also be found in foods such as oily fish (like salmon and sardines), red meat, liver, egg yolks and fortified products including cereals and fat spreads. Supplements are widely available in pharmacies and supermarkets.